Consistency and continuity will be key for Speedworks as they try to build on their most successful year in the British Touring Car Championship yet. Once again, Tom Ingram will pilot the team’s Toyota Avensis as Speedwork’s single entry in 2017.
Ingram was confirmed this morning as staying with the team for his fourth consecutive year with the team. The 23 year old finished 10th in the championship last year, with two wins and six podium finishes, making it his most successful year in the BTCC yet.
But it was far from a perfect year, with multiple pointless finishes, including an entire pointless round at Rockingham, leading to a mixed season. Speedworks and Ingram are aiming to work on his consistency this year to build on the progress made last year.
“There are many aspects that we have focussed on refining over the winter to enhance our performance for 2017 because the championship never stands still,” said team principal Christian Dick.
“There are clearly areas in which both we as a team and he [Ingram] as a driver still need to improve, but we have been working tirelessly on all fronts since last season ended and I think the benefits of that effort and remaining together for a fourth year will shine through when we hit the track. There has been a raft of updates to the Avensis that we are all very excited about, and we believe we can be genuine contenders for the Independents’ crown in 2017.”
Speedworks finished third in the 2016 Independents’ trophy, nearly 200 points behind eventual winners Motorbase, whilst Ingram finished fourth in the Independents drivers’ championship, 77 points behind winner Andrew Jordan.
Ingram also believes consistency will be essential to taking that Independents’ crown.
“It’s vital in the BTCC to make hay on the good days and make the most of the bad days – but last year, our bad days were very, very bad,” he said. “In races two and three at Brands Hatch Indy, Donington Park, and Thruxton early in the season, we scared a grand total of two points and then Rockingham was quite literally a pointless weekend.
“In nine of the 30 races, we didn’t score at all and in two more we picked up just a single point. If we’d been more consistent and average just eighth place in each of those races, we’d have won the championship – I think that’s a measure of how much potential there is inside this team, which is hugely exciting heading into 2017.”
The 23 year old believes the key to staying in the title battle will be to finish all the races and stay out of trouble, which will lead to the consistency Speedworks will need.
Feature image credit: Caroline Rhea
